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Best Practices in Building Collaborative Student-Centered Teams Presentation

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Best Practices in Building Collaborative Student-Centered Teams

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Best Practices in Building Collaborative Student-Centered Teams

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Here is a link to the presentation slides from 1/26/2023.

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Best Practices in Building Collaborative Student-Centered Teams

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One of the first and most fundamental ingredients Conscious Leaders use to build powerful teams and healthy cultures is Trust.

Very simply, without Trust there is no leadership. Therefore establishing Trust at all levels throughout the organization, above you, below you and beside you, is essential to success as a leader.

Throughout all of my Conscious Leadership training programs we speak of the need to "Lead with A.I.R." A.I.R. is an acronym for Authenticity, Integrity and Respect. The reason we focus so much attention on Leading with A.I.R. is because when one consistently does so, they quickly build very strong bonds of Trust with those around them.

These Trust bonds greatly increase how openly and honestly people communicate with one another. This in turn increases the speed at which organizations make decisions. Which then increases the speed at which teams can be mobilized and improves the quality of work they perform.

All of this then serves to greatly improve the profitability of the organization and the stature of the manager in charge. So Trust increases profits.

But there are a lot of nuances that combine to give people a sense for whether or not they can trust someone. As a leader it is essential to know what they are and even more important to give people the time to make up their minds about you.

The following excerpt from Stephen M.R. Covey's best selling book: The Speed of Trust presents the The 13 Behaviors of Creating and Sustaining Relationship Trust.

These 13 behaviors, if practiced with A.I.R., will help you achieve a level of trust with those you depend upon for your success in the shortest time possible. But remember to be patient. Trust, while it can be destroyed in a moment, takes a lot of time to create. This list provides you with key building blocks that will help you to achieve your goals.

The 13 Behaviors of Creating and Sustaining Relationship Trust

Excerpted from "The Speed of Trust, The One Thing That Changes Everything

Behavior #1: Talk Straight

Be honest. Tell the truth. Let people know where you stand. Use simple language. Call things what they are. Demonstrate integrity. Don't manipulate people or distort facts. Don't spin the truth. Don't leave false impressions.

Behavior #2: Demonstrate Respect

Treat everyone with respect. Show kindness in the little things. Behave in ways that demonstrate caring and concern

A good leader takes nothing for granted and recognizes the contributions made by everyone on the team

Think about specific things you can do to show others you care about them. Call people. Write thank you notes. Give acknowledgement. Send e-mails of concern. Try to do something each day to put a smile on someone's face

Never take existing relationships for granted-particularly relationships with loved ones, family, and friends

Behavior #3: Create Transparency

Transparency is about being open, real, and genuine and telling the truth in a way that people can verify

Disclose relationships, interests, and conflicts ahead of time so that everything is always out in the open

Behavior #4: Right Wrongs

Make things right when you're wrong. Apologize quickly. Make restitution where possible. Practice service recoveries. Demonstrate personal humility. Don't cover things up.

Behavior #5: Show Loyalty

Give credit to others and speak about people as though they were present

Go out of your way to give credit freely

Make it a rule to never talk about family members in negative ways

Behavior #6: Deliver Results

Clarify "results" up front. Make sure you thoroughly understand the expectation

Before you make a commitment, make sure it's realistic. To over promise and under deliver will make a withdrawal every time

Try to anticipate needs in advance and deliver before the requests even come

Establish a track record of results. Get the right things done. Make things happen. Don't over promise and under deliver. Don't make excuses for not delivering

In seeking to get better, there are two strategies that are particularly helpful in maximizing your effort: seek feedback, and learn from mistakes (really all experiences)

Continuously improve. Increase your capabilities. Be a constant learner. Develop feedback systems-both formal and informal. Act on the feedback you receive.

Behavior #8: Confront Reality

Confronting reality is about taking the tough issues head on. It's about sharing the bad news as well as the good, naming the "elephant in the room," addressing the "sacred cows," and discussing the "undiscussables."

Address the tough stuff directly. Acknowledge the unsaid. Lead out courageously in conversation.

Behavior #9: Clarify Expectations

Create shared vision and agreement about what is to be done up front

In every interaction-explicitly or implicitly-there are expectations

Disclose and reveal expectations. Discuss them. Renegotiate them if needed and possible. Don't assume expectations are clear or shared

Clarify expectations both at work and at home

Check for clarity by asking a few simple questions:

What have you understood from this conversation?

As a result of our interaction, what do you see as your next steps? What do you see as mine?

Do you feel that others are clear regarding expectations?

What can we do to make things more clear?

Behavior #10: Practice Accountability

There are two key dimensions to practicing accountability:

Hold yourself accountable*

When people hold themselves accountable, it encourages others to do the same:

Hold others accountable*

People respond to accountability-particularly the performers. They want to be held accountable:

Hold yourself accountable. Hold others accountable. Take responsibility for results. Be clear on how you'll communicate how you're doing-and how others are doing

Behavior #11: Listen First

Listen before you speak. Understand. Diagnose. Listen with your ears-and your eyes and heart. Don't assume you know what matters most to others. Don't presume you have all the answers-or all the questions

Behavior #12: Keep Commitments

Keeping commitments is the quickest way to build trust in any relationship

Make commitments carefully and then keep them

Don't break confidences

Demonstrate a propensity to trust. Extend trust abundantly to those who have earned your trust. Extend conditionally to those who are earning your trust.

While all of this is very intuitive and reads easy. Consistently engaging people in this manner can be very challenging, depending upon the circumstances.

So here is another tip: You won't do it perfectly every time. But when you mess up, which you will, get back in integrity, make your amends and get back on the bike of Leading with AIR.

People don't expect perfection but they do expect honesty. Give them enough for long enough and you will garner enough Trust to make you and your organizations successful for a very long time.

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13 Behaviors That Create Trust : Jeffrey Deckman Blog

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One of the first and most fundamental ingredients Conscious Leaders use to build powerful teams and healthy cultures is Trust.

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Specialty Set Special Education Paraeducator Document

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Specialty Set Special Education Paraeducator

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Specialty Set Special Education Paraeducator

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Quality Indicators for Special Education Paraeducators Document

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Planning for the Paraeducator by Special Connections

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You may have already read about co-planning in another section of the Special Connections website. The forms contained in that section provide an excellent basis for planning with another teacher. However, planning for a paraeducator is different because the role is different than yours, and it doesn't legitimately allow them to make decisions about the curriculum or instruction that students receive. While you may be able to use shorthand in your plan book or on a planning form to remind yourself of what you intend to do, a paraeducator cannot be expected to read your mind and is left stranded without written plans.

Dynamic instruction is founded on good planning and good planning is founded on assessment information. While most teachers have stopped using the planning forms their education professors gave them, effective teachers are absolutely clear about the purposes of their lessons and they create classroom experiences that target those purposes. They decide ahead of time what activities they'll engage students in, how they'll provide directions to students, and what materials they'll need at their fingertips. They know what homework will be assigned and they know beforehand how they'll prepare students to engage with the concepts.

When experienced school professionals fail to plan, they may be able to wing it or make it through a class or two without disastrous results. However, when no one plans for the instruction delivered by paraeducators, it means that paraeducators, who are unprepared to plan lessons, are on their own to design the instruction. It is legally and ethically unacceptable for a paraeducator to work with students who have complex learning needs, or with social, emotional, or health issues, with no written plan provided by a supervisor. Yet, it is commonly done.

Paraeducators, unfortunately, are frequently allowed to make decisions that should be rightfully made by fully qualified professionals. Interviews with paraeducators have revealed intuitive or "home grown" attitudes about their roles in supporting students, in the absence of written plans. Some paraeducators believe it is their job to keep students with disabilities from "bothering the classroom teacher." They believe that they are responsible for all aspects of a child's education, that they have to create all adaptations for the child, and that they are responsible totally for the child. And, sadly, they have been allowed to deliver services with little guidance.

Paraeducators who are placed in such positions realize that they are poorly equipped to do the job. Some paraeducators have reported that, "I make my own plans." Others reported, "No one plans, I just follow along trying to do what I'm supposed to," and still others reported that they "write lesson plans for the reading group." Paraeducators in many locations have reported that they held full responsibility for students, including planning lessons and activities, creating curricular and instructional adaptations and modifications even though state policies do not advocate such responsibilities for paraeducators.

When teachers were asked if they planned for paraeducators, they often admitted that they did not. Some teachers justified their lack of planning for paraeducators, "I don't need to plan - she just knows what to do." Some said, "She doesn't need a written plan, I just tell her what to do on the 'fly' (French, 1998)." While these responses may reflect the current state of affairs, none of them exemplify a legal or ethical position.

Should we expect something different from paraeducators than we expect from teachers? In a word, yes. Paraeducators are not teachers. They are valuable school employees who hold a legitimate role in the teaching process, but they work in a different capacity than teachers. For example, paraeducators assist teachers of students who are learning English but they do not have the skills to conduct language assessments or to plan lessons that focus on language acquisition.

We expect nurses and doctors to have different roles. We recognize that a nurse may give the injection to a patient, but we understand that the doctor prescribed it. Nurses do not prescribe medications or courses or treatment-they deliver them. They provide daily care to patients; ensure the delivery of prescribed medications and treatments, and record data so that the doctor can make informed decisions about further treatment. Similarly, we do not want paraeducators prescribing instructional sequences, units, lessons, or adaptations. We do want paraeducators delivering instruction and interventions, carrying out the curricular adaptation plans made by the professional.

Designing instructional environments and making decisions about the goals, objectives, activities, and evaluations of instructional episodes are tasks that are well outside the paraeducator's scope of responsibility. We should not let it slide when a paraeducator, who works on an hourly basis, with little preparation, and no professional credential, is allowed to plan or, worse, is forced into planning for students because the professional has neglected to do so. Paraeducators should not be asked to do the teacher's job. There is an important instructional role for paraeducators, but that does not include usurping the teacher's role.

First, let's consider what it is that a special educator plans. Those who work in self-contained classes plan like any other teacher for all the curricular and instructional needs of their students. There is little else to say about that situation.

On the other hand, special education teachers who work in inclusion programs have to plan differently. Their plans are not so much about the curricular standards (because general education teachers plan the class lessons). They are about the adaptations to general education curriculum and instruction that are driven by the IEP and are necessary to the success of students in general education classes.

Because the tasks that paraeducators perform vary substantially in complexity and risk, the type and level of planning also varies. Consider the following factors.

Paraeducator Experience, Skill, and Training.

If a paraeducator has performed the same type of instructional activity, student supervision assignment, clerical task, behavior management technique, data collection, or health service in the past, and has performed satisfactorily, then plans may be very brief. A sentence or phrase added to the schedule would suffice. On the other hand, if a paraeducator is new to the position, has received only a brief training, or doesn't have the skills, the plan must be more detailed, specifying outcomes, actions, materials, cautions, and levels of authority.

Complexity of the Task

Obviously, clerical work requires minimal planning and direction, but instructional work requires more. The more complex the instruction, or the intervention, the more important it is to give specific directions in the plan for data recording and instructional techniques. For example, a paraeducator should be given specific directions regarding the amount of student success or failure to tolerate. A paraeducator may be directed to allow a student to fail at a task and then redirect his or her efforts or, alternatively, to give enough prompts and cues so that student performance is errorless.

Behavior issues are also complex. A paraeducator working with students who have significant behavior or social issues needs more guidance about appropriate ways to interact with the students, appropriate limits to set, and types of behavior to tolerate or ignore, as well as the behaviors that require interruption, redirection, or reinforcement.

Risk

Two circumstances that increase risk are structure and distance. Structure refers to the circumstances of the situation. Where there are walls and doors, where the activities are performed uniformly with other students, where there is little movement or few choices, there tends to be less risk. Within a school, physical education classes pose greater risks for students than English classes.

Distance is the physical separation between the paraeducator and the person responsible for the outcomes of instruction. Where the paraeducator performs his or her work matters. The distance of the paraeducator from the supervising professional is one factor that contributes to risk. The greater the distance, the greater the risk. Greater risk requires more specific guidance.

For example, Ruby works one-to-one with an elementary school student with autism in the general classroom, hallways, lunchroom, and playground-all at some distance from the special education teacher. Ruby needs full information about the student's health, academic needs, appropriate adaptations, and appropriate instructional techniques, as well as specific directions on how to cue the student to engage in activities. The plan should tell Ruby how much or little verbalization to use and how to work around the student's sensitivities to touch and other sensory inputs.

Another example is of a secondary special education program where students go into the community for life-skills experiences, vocational exploration, or work experience. The paraeducator is working in a high-risk situation, away from the teacher, and in a low-structure situation. Such a paraeducator should have a list of precautions and emergency procedures, as well as specific goals and directions for the instructional sequences that take place in the community setting.

Components of Plans

1. Purpose of task, lesson or adaptation

2. Long term student goals, short term objectives

3. Specific student needs & strengths

4. Materials & Research

5. Sequence of actions, use of cues or prompts, permissible adaptations

6. Data structure for documenting student performance

Good plans are brief, easy to read at a glance, and relatively easy to write. They also contain six key components.

Components of Plans

A good plan specifies how to do the task, the purposes of the task or lesson, the specific student needs to be addressed or strengths on which to capitalize, the materials to use, and the type of data needed to determine whether the student achievement is satisfactory, moving in the right direction, or unsatisfactory.

It is also important for the paraeducator to understand how the task fits into the broader goals and outcomes for the student. For example, James, a student with severe and multiple disabilities, has been learning to raise and lower his left arm. If Lu, the paraeducator who works with him, understands that James is preparing for a communication device that depends on this skill, she will be sure that he practices many times a day and that he practices correctly. So, the plan may tell Lu that the goal is for James to raise and lower his left arm deliberately. It should also tell her that the long-range goal is that he will be able to use a button or switch that controls an assistive speaking device. The plan also needs to have a place to document the number of opportunities he had to practice the skill, the amount of cueing or prompting he required to perform the skill, and the number of times he successfully performed the skill, with or without cueing or prompting.

Communicating About Plans

When you plan for yourself, communicating with another person isn't an issue. But, when you plan for paraeducators, lack of clarity can cause unexpected problems. Try to look at the plan from the paraeducator's point of view. Unless the plan is communicated in a format that she understands, she may not be able to use it.

Good planning formats are easy to use and user-friendly. If the planning form or format is handy, simple, and includes all key components, you will improve your communication and minimize the amount of time you spend doing it. How can you be sure the paraeducator knows how to carry out the plan? You may also need to check for understanding about the plan. Asking the paraeducator if he or she has any questions is one way to open the opportunity for clarification.

Planning Forms and Formats

Plans do not necessarily adhere to a predetermined format. Many teachers use their creative talents to design forms and formats that respond to the unique characteristics of their own situation. Professionals have sufficient latitude to create a planning form or format that pleases them and addresses the combined needs of the team. What is contained in the written plan, the amount of detail, and the specificity of directions are all negotiable.

Although a paper-based planning form isn't necessary and plans certainly may be written on any type of surface (chalkboards, dry-mark boards) or electronic platform (hand-held electronic planner, centrally located computer), school professionals tend to rely on paper.

Using blank paper means that the plan-writer will have to write certain pieces of information or structural aspects of the plan over and over again. Forms eliminate the duplication of effort and streamline the planning process. Paper-based planning forms, like other planning formats, must also meet the dual tests of ease-of-use and user-friendliness.

Ease of Use

Ease-of-use means that the plan form or format should be readily available and comprehensive enough to cover all the key components, yet simple enough that the professional can use it consistently. The professional is the best judge of ease-of-use. For example, a template created and kept on a word processor may be readily available for a professional who has a computer on his or her desk. Multiple copies of a printed form kept in a desktop folder may be easier for another teacher who prefers the pen to the keyboard.

Length of the form is also important. Too many components make it difficult to know what to write and too tedious to write it in each space. Including too few components may result in the transmission of too little information or of information that is too general to be useful.

User-Friendly

User-friendliness refers to the visual appeal of the form and its familiarity. User-friendliness is best judged by the paraeducator. Visual appeal often means that there is a lot of white space or graphics on the page and that the length is sufficient but not overwhelming. A paraeducator faced with a two- to three-page plan will be less likely to read the plan carefully than she would given a single page, neatly written or typed. The use of common terminology and a reading level that is consistent with the knowledge and literacy level of the paraeducator are also important factors in user-friendliness.

The paraeducator holds the ethical responsibility to follow written plans and oral directions provided by any or all school professionals assigned to the student with disabilities. The written plans need not be complex, but must be developed by the professionals who participated in assessment of the student and in the IEP planning, and who hold responsibility for that student's IEP goals and objectives. A list of goals and the related adaptations covering the range of classroom instructional situations meets the legal requirements if it is shared with the paraeducator as well as general education teachers.

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You may have already read about co-planning in another section of the Special Connections website. The forms contained in that section provide an excellent basis for planning with another teacher. However, planning for a paraeducator is different because the role is different than yours, and it doesn't legitimately allow them to make decisions about the curriculum or instruction that students receive.

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Article: Working with Paraeducators: Tools and Strategies for Planning, Performance Feedback, and Evaluation (Yates et al., 2020)

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Working with Paraeducators: Tools and Strategies for Planning, Performance Feedback, and Evaluation (Yates et al., 2020)

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Working with Paraeducators: Tools and Strategies for Planning, Performance Feedback, and Evaluation (Yates et al., 2020)

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A Guide to the Supervision of Paraeducators

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This is an example of a paraeducator extension plan.

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Ten tips for paraeducators to foster student independence.

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PARAprofessional resource & research center

The Paraprofessional Resource and Research Center (PAR²A Center) is a part of the School of Education & Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver. The mission of The PAR²A Center is to develop a qualified and effective workforce consisting of degreed and non-degreed personnel in the fields of early intervention, education and human services. The Center focuses on enhancing education and services for ALL children and youth (from birth through 21 years), especially those at risk, through policy creation, professional development and research with regards to roles and responsibilities, coaching and mentoring and career ladders for personnel.

In addition to being the premier source of information on paraprofessionals (paraeducators) working in the fields of education and human services, the center is a nationally recognized leader for:

Research-based Train the Trainer (TOT), coaching and supervision models.

Competency-based curriculum development and instructional materials.

Innovative pathways and pipelines that transition indigenous candidates to teacher positions in high-need schools.

All inquiries concerning PAR²A Center services such as:

Paraeducator training

Paraeducator supervision training for teachers and administrators

Train the Trainer model for teachers and administrators

Mentor training

Please contact: Ritu Chopra, Executive Director or call 720-588-9681
Click here for the PAR²A Center overview brochure
PAR²A Center Accomplishments

19 individuals have completed and passed the National Intervener Certificate E-Portfolio (NICE) assessment process and are now certified Interveners working with students who are deaf-blind.

Designed 22 courses and instructor manuals for K-12 paraeducators as well as 17 courses and instructor manuals for Early Intervention Paraprofessionals that lead to a variety of certificates

Trained over 12,000 individual paraeducators

Trained over 3,500 licensed professionals in paraprofessional supervision

Trained over 1,300 trainers to deliver curriculum to paraprofessionals

Transitioned over 300 paraeducators and other non-traditional students to teachers mainly in high-need subject areas - Special Education, Bilingual Education, Math and Science

Acted as an advisory body to Colorado state departments on issues related to paraprofessionals

Impacted policies in other states

Convened state level coalitions that focus on paraprofessional issues

Developed and implemented the system of state mandated training and supervision of early intervention paraprofessionals for the state of Colorado

Developed state standards for early intervention paraprofessionals

Conducted standards-based paraprofessional curriculum review and revisions

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The Paraprofessional Resource and Research Center (PAR²A Center) is a part of the School of Education & Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver. The mission of The PAR²A Center is to develop a qualified and effective workforce consisting of degreed and non-degreed personnel in the fields of early intervention, education and human services.

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National Resource Center for Paraeducators :)

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National Resource Center for Paraeducators :)

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National Resource Center for Paraeducators

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We are excited to announce registration is open for the 36th National VIRTUAL Conference!!

See the conference tab for details and information on the Call for Papers!!

Back by Popular Demand!

Join us the 2nd Saturday of each Month for the 2023-24 Saturday Mornings with the NRCP!

Visit the Training Tab at the top to read more details and session topics!

The NRCP goals are to:

Bring together employers, personnel developers, unions, professional organizations, paraeducators, related service providers, interveners, family members and other advocates for improving services for all children and youth to develop systems and personnel practices that will encourage skilled professionals to remain in the field and, if desired, to pursue future teaching careers.

Provide training and resources to paraeducators; teachers; related service providers; interveners; policymakers and administrators; other education professionals; occupational, physical and speech-language therapists; early childhood specialists; personnel developers in colleges and universities; and other stakeholders to improve outcomes for all students.

Want to know more? Check out our About Page.

Browse Posts by Categories:

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter! Join our mailing list to see news about events, helpful information, and more!

Or check out our most Recent Posts:

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National Resource Center for Paraeducators

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Federal Law

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 defers teacher and paraprofessional qualification requirements in Title I programs to applicable State law. [1] [2]

Colorado Law

No qualification or credentialing requirements for paraprofessionals or teaching assistants have been written into Colorado law. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and charter schools have discretion in setting local hiring policies for these positions. [3]

Recommended Best Practice

In order to promote providing the highest possible quality support for students, the Colorado Department of Education recommends that LEAs and charter schools adopt local hiring policies that set requirements for paraprofessionals equivalent or similar to those outlined below.

Sample Local Requirements
Instructional paraprofessionals should possess specific skills and knowledge in reading, writing, mathematics and instruction to serve in schools supported by Title I, Part A funds. At a minimum, Title I, Part A instructional paraprofessionals should:

1.Possess a high school diploma or its equivalent (e.g., the GED); and

2.Demonstrate subject matter competency by:

a. Earning an Associate's (or higher) degree; or

b. Completing at least two years (48 credit hours) of study at an institution of higher education; or

c. Passing a formal assessment measuring one's knowledge of and ability to assist classroom teachers in reading, writing and mathematics.

Formal assessments should be valid and reliable. An assessment is valid if it measures mathematics, reading, and writing content at a level equivalent to the knowledge obtained by attending two years of college and is applicable to duties being assigned to the paraprofessional. An assessment is reliable if it provides consistent results. An LEA may develop its own assessment. Existing assessments that are valid and reliable for the purposes of assessing paraprofessionals' subject matter competency are the ACT-Work Keys and ETS-ParaPro assessments.

Instructional paraprofessionals should be supervised directly by a licensed teacher. An instructional paraprofessional is an individual who provides instruction and support for classroom teachers. The following activities are recommended as appropriate job duties of an instructional paraprofessional:

Provide one-on-one tutoring for eligible students, if the tutoring is scheduled at a time when a student would not otherwise receive instruction from a teacher

Assist with classroom management, such as organizing instructional and other materials

Provide assistance in a computer laboratory

Provide instructional support in a library or media center

Provide instructional services to students under the direct supervision of a teacher

For Additional Information Contact:

ESEA Regional Contacts or Email the ESEA Programs Office

References:

[1] ESSA Sec. 1112 (b)(6): Each local educational agency plan shall provide assurances that the LEA will...ensure that all teachers and paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under [Title I, Part A] meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification.

[2] ESSA Sec. 1111(g)(2)(M): Each State plan shall contain assurances that...the State has professional standards for paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under this part, including qualifications that were in place on the day before the date of enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

[3] C.R.S. 23-1-121.7 (1, e-g)

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The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 defers teacher and paraprofessional qualification requirements in Title I programs to applicable State law. [1] [2] No qualification or credentialing requirements for paraprofessionals or teaching assistants have been written into Colorado law. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and charter schools have discretion in setting local hiring policies for these positions.

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10 Behavior Management Strategies for Educational Assistants & Paraprofessionals | Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)

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10 Behavior Management Strategies for Educational Assistants & Paraprofessionals | Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)

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The role of an educational assistant (or a teacher's aide or paraprofessional) is to watch for potential problems and prevent escalation when possible.

With this in mind, it's important for EAs to develop appropriate skills to manage crisis situations. EAs need the ability to intervene proactively before a crisis occurs.

The following characteristics are important to embody when interacting with students with behavioral challenges:

By embodying these characteristics, you can work with students to help mold their behavior while helping make sure that their needs are being met.

We find the following strategies useful when intervening appropriately in an escalating situation. A good way to start is building a tool kit of go-to strategies to use when students become agitated. By employing these strategies, you move from reacting to emergency situations to responding to them.

1. Active listening

It's important to take into account what students are saying verbally and paraverbally. It's vital to try and really understand what they're asking for. Listen for feelings, not just facts.

To engage in active listening, we must acknowledge that each person has their own truth. When you acknowledge that the other person has experiences that are different than yours, it's easier to find common ground to move forward in behavioral change.

Consider engaging in a Genuine Encounter Moment. You can do this by:

Giving the student total and complete focus

Giving eye contact and having a friendly and open expression on your face

Listening closely

Withholding judgment

Children overwhelmingly are exposed to many more negative comments in a day than positive ones. Some studies show that 90% of comments directed to children are negative or directive. The more you can genuinely engage with your students in an authentic way, the more they feel respected and valued. And this authentic engagement will positively impact their behavior.

2. Set clear limits

Students need to know what they're allowed and not allowed to do. They need to have predictable limits to help them make sense of their world, help them feel secure, and provide them with guidance for acceptable behavior. There are four things to consider when setting limits:

Avoid using fear, intimidation, obligation, and guilt.

Clearly state the specific boundary with a corresponding consequence.

The corresponding consequence should be a logical or natural consequence that results from not following the limit, and it should be enforceable.

Avoid a power struggle.

3. Sidestep power struggles

A power struggle occurs when two people hold different ideas and both are unwilling to compromise. Sometimes the best approach to dealing with power struggles is to avoid them. Instead of trying to force students to do what you want, try using these alternatives:

Establish an agenda for the day.

Find a common interest and build on that interest.

Be friendly. Smile!

Use a one-word direction.

Remember that "No" is a complete sentence.

Provide choice.

Find a win-win. Compromise.

Brainstorm solutions.

4. Meet their physical and emotional needs

It's important to teach students to become self-aware and to engage in self-care. When your students' physical needs are not being met, they have the potential to escalate into aggressive or acting-out behaviors. A handy way to teach children to remember their physical needs is to use the acronym HALT.

H - Hungry. Hunger can be a physical or an emotional need. If the hunger is physical, offer nutritious snacks. If the hunger is emotional, help them name the emotional need they're feeling.

A - Angry. Anger is a normal, healthy emotion. Anger becomes destructive when people express it inappropriately. It's important to name the emotion and to explore what's causing it. Offer solutions like mediating if the student is angry at another person. Physical activity also helps with feelings of anger. Go for a walk. Go to the gym. Do some push-ups.

L - Lonely. Loneliness can occur both in a crowd and by oneself. Students with emotional regulation issues and behavior disorders withdraw into themselves for a variety of reasons. If you notice your student is withdrawn, engage them in conversation. Reach out and engage in active listening. Help the student connect with a peer.

T - Tired. When we're tired, we find it difficult to cope. Problems seem bigger; the world seems more hostile when we're tired. If your student feels tired, encourage them to rest or to take a short nap. If that's not possible, go for a walk around the block or encourage them to take a couple of deep breaths.

5. Daily physical activity

Exercise is an important tool to help students manage both their physical and mental health. Exercise is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and stress. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good. It promotes neural growth and releases tension. It also allows students to focus on physical activity and interrupt negative thinking. As an added benefit, it improves memory, enhances self-esteem, and improves sleep.

Take your students for a walk through the halls; use the fitness facilities in your school. Even jogging on the spot and doing push-ups and jumping jacks can boost endorphins and reduce tension.

Participate in physical activity with your students. Be a role model for positive behavioral change. Build daily physical activity into the school day. Make moving a lifelong habit.

6. Mindfulness and breathing exercises

Mindful breathing is the process of focusing your attention on your breathing and nothing else. You concentrate on the process of your breath moving in and out of your body. The results of mindfulness are stress relief, decreased blood pressure, and improved sleep. It has been used to help in the treatment of depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and substance abuse.

There are many examples of breathing exercises that can be found on the Internet. Here we offer one strategy to get you started.

Balloon breathing:

Inhale fully. Place your hands on your belly and breathe in slowly through your nose.

Feel your belly fill up as if it's filled with a giant balloon.

Exhale fully. Open your mouth and blow all of the air out of your body.

Let your belly get flat like an empty balloon.

Repeat five times.

7. Catch them being good

Sometimes negative behavior is the only way that students can communicate their needs to you. It may be the only way they know how to get your attention. Instead of reinforcing the negative behavior, try to catch them being good. The goal here is to praise the positive behaviors and neutralize or ignore the negative behaviors.

Photo: monkeybusinessimages/iStock

Steps for catching a student being good:

Identify the negative or disruptive behavior (one or two behaviors).

Identify the times when the negative or disruptive behavior occurs in the classroom.

Identify fixed time intervals through the course of the day in which you will assess to see if your student is engaging in negative behavior.

If, at those fixed intervals, the student is not engaged in the negative behavior, praise them or reward them.

If, at those fixed intervals, the student is engaged in the negative behaviors, ignore the behavior (if at all possible).

Direct your attention to those students who are acting appropriately and give them praise/rewards.

8. Model prosocial skills

Prosocial skills are those behaviors that we engage in that benefit others. These behaviors include cooperation, sharing work, sharing toys, and emotionally supporting others who are in distress.

Students who have behavior disorders often have not developed strong prosocial skills. You can support prosocial skill development by:

Being a positive role model. The more that students see positive adult interactions, the more likely they are to engage in such activities themselves.

Talking through common social situations and providing feedback about appropriate social interaction.

Role-playing. Have students act out social situations and appropriate responses.

Encouraging structured social play between peers. Play is one of the best ways to encourage sharing, cooperation, and helping.

9. Offer choices instead of giving orders

Offering students choices instead of giving an order elicits their cooperation. Choices communicate that their EA/paraprofessional respects them and their opinions. It provides an opportunity for students to build responsibility and be empowered.

Use these guidelines when offering choice to your student:

Provide two positive options.

Be clear and specific.

Make sure that both choices are acceptable and feasible.

When your students are comfortable making choices, modify this choice by using the "First/Then."

You can use First/Then in this way:

Present the student with a work task that needs to be accomplished.

Give the student a choice of two options that they would like to engage in after the work task is completed. It could include:

Computer time

Time in the playground

Coloring/drawing

When the student has completed the work task, allow them to engage in the second "reward" task.

Using First/Then promotes delayed gratification. It enforces the idea that first work has to occur before they are rewarded with a choice task.

10. Alter the volume and cadence of your voice

Often we overlook how we can affect the emotional state of our students. Emotions can be infectious. When we are angry, aggravated, excited, anxious, or nervous, these emotional states can impact the state of escalation of our students.

If you notice that your student is escalating and becoming visibly agitated, try these techniques to control your own emotions:

Lower the volume of your voice and speak more quietly. As you speak more quietly, your student will have to become quieter to hear you.

Alter the cadence of your voice and speak more slowly.

Modulate your tone of voice and be calm and supportive.

Simplify your vocabulary.

Remember that as your student starts to escalate, they're starting to lose rationality. Speaking loudly and quickly will increase their agitation.

Final thoughts

We've offered some skills to develop in order to help you respond to escalating behavior. When you're in the presence of an escalated student, the first thing to realize is that you are actively managing the crisis situation. You are controlling your own behavior. You are making decisions that will impact how the situation unfolds.

Remember, the outcome of the situation will be impacted by the strategies that you use to de-escalate the agitated student.

Take a deep breath and calm yourself. Don't react to the situation. Use the strategies described above to respond to it. Use your tool kit to help support your student.

Jennifer Taylor is a long-time behavior learning assistance teacher. Michael Edward and Abu Jabbie are both experienced Educational Assistants. They work in a specialized program that's designed to meet the needs of students who have severe behavior disorders.

Jennifer has extensive experience teaching students with special needs and First Nations students. She has a master's in Education with a focus on School Improvement and Leadership, specifically looking at interventions that improve the school experience for at-risk youth. Jen has been a CPI Certified Instructor since 2007.

Michael has a nursing background and has worked extensively with individuals with mental health disorders. Michael has a bachelor's degree in Health Education from the University of Benin in Nigeria. He has worked in school, institutional, and group home settings. He has been a CPI Certified Instructor since 2015.

Abu Jabbie is a long-time EA who has worked in school, institutional, and group home settings. Abu immigrated as a refugee from Sierra Leone in 2004. He attended the University of Winnipeg and studied Economics. He is trained as a Child and Youth Worker.

Both Michael and Abu are skilled EAs who have the ability to connect with students to build therapeutic relationships.

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10 Behavior Management Strategies for Educational Assistants & Paraprofessionals | Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)

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With these strategies, you'll build a go-to tool kit for handling and preventing behavior problems.

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Some schools elect to develop para handbooks - here is an example.